The first month in Slovakia

The host family is composed of parents and a very cute brother, they are the same age as my parents, they are very friendly, open-minded and respectful of me, they will care about my state and emotions every day, and they will also listen to me share the daily fun stories of getting along with my classmates at school. Mom is a great leader, always giving me advice when needed, and actively encouraging me to participate in various groups or activities.

Family Bonding, Learning, and a Warm Community Life

Dad is also witty and funny, he will take me and my brother to make desserts together, play with the dog, go to the yard to pick apples, grapes, blueberries and other fruits, and will also take advantage of meal time to teach me how to explain various ingredients or choose my favorite movies on holidays to help me practice my language. My brother would usually walk with me to and from school, my parents would take me to watch his football training and after-school dance class performances, he was very well-behaved and self-disciplined, and occasionally asked me to teach him Chinese, and we got along very well. In terms of living, the house is very warm and comfortable, the town is also very beautiful, the community is safe, and everyone will greet each other on the road, which makes me feel amazing.

Hanging out with my classmates

Making cupcake with my host brother

The daily traffic is mainly based on walking and driving, because the school is not too far from my home in 20 minutes, and the driving distance out of the town is by car, which is the only part I am not used to, so in order to avoid motion sickness or various personal conditions that will bring necessary troubles to others, I usually fall asleep when I get in the car.

Unique Eating Habits and Mealtime

The eating habits are also very different from Taiwan, first of all, the difference in staple food, the staple food here is mainly potatoes, accounting for 60%, followed by bread accounting for 30%, and occasionally you can eat Italy and rice-based meals. Then there are the characteristics of dining habits, the Czech Republic and Slovakia are used to drinking soup before meals, will add short noodles or wheat to the soup, the proportion of hot food is also very small, they often use bread with ham and cucumber as a simple dinner, and three meals a day will be added to the so-called fourth meal at ten o’clock in the morning, people choose simple bread or fruit, the family will prepare simple small things for students to take to school called desiata, so the end of class at ten o’clock is longer than other sections.

The last point is the similarities and differences in the use of utensils, every meal in Slovakia, whether it is rice pasta, soup or dessert, is served on plates, and cutlery is eaten with knives and forks, although the main food is rice, and only spoons are used when drinking soup.

Presentation about my hometown in elementary school

Streetscape in the city

Friendship and Fun in a New School

The campus life is also very exciting, there are no problems of adaptation, although I don’t understand the language, but I am also studying hard. My classmates were very friendly and would translate into English for me when I didn’t understand to help me understand. They also shared tongue twisters and jokes in their language with me, which was super funny.

I often share snacks and biscuits or snacks with me, and I received a bracelet symbolizing friendship last week, and I am really touched to be able to integrate into the class smoothly. There is also a group of friends in the same direction walking together on the way from school, so I don’t have to worry about getting lost, and they will also teach me some words on the road to see the scenery, so every day is very interesting and fresh and not boring, I am especially grateful for the help of my classmates, and I also enjoy the time with them.

Last week, I went to the school next door to give a talk and introduce people to my country and share culture, and I was interviewed, and everyone asked questions very well, and the feedback was completely beyond my expectations, which was a very special experience and a lot of benefits.

Olivia SU, District 3510, Taiwan → RC Poprad